Ultrasonic test system, ultrasonic test method and method of manufacturing aircraft part

Abstract

According to one implementation, an ultrasonic test system includes an ultrasonic transmission part including at least one ultrasonic transducer, an ultrasonic detection part including at least one sensor and damage detection part consisting of circuitry. The ultrasonic transducer transmits a first ultrasonic wave and a second ultrasonic wave toward a test region. The first ultrasonic wave has a relatively low frequency. The second ultrasonic wave has a frequency higher than the frequency of the first ultrasonic wave. The sensor detects a reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region. The reflected wave is from the test region. The damage detection circuitry is configured to detect a damage in the test region, based on the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An ultrasonic test system comprising:
 at least one ultrasonic transducer that transmits a first ultrasonic wave and a second ultrasonic wave toward a test region, the first ultrasonic wave having a relatively low frequency, the second ultrasonic wave having a frequency higher than the frequency of the first ultrasonic wave; 
 at least one sensor that detects a reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, the reflected wave being from the test region; and 
 damage detection circuitry configured to detect a damage in the test region, based on the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, wherein the at least one sensor comprises: 
 a first optical fiber sensor that detects the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave; and 
 a second optical fiber sensor that detects the ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region. 
 
     
     
       2. An ultrasonic test system comprising:
 at least one ultrasonic transducer that transmits a first ultrasonic wave and a second ultrasonic wave toward a test region, the first ultrasonic wave having a relatively low frequency, the second ultrasonic wave having a frequency higher than the frequency of the first ultrasonic wave; 
 at least one sensor that detects a reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, the reflected wave being from the test region; and 
 damage detection circuitry configured to detect a damage in the test region, based on the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region; 
 and where the at least one ultrasonic transducer comprises: 
 a first ultrasonic transducer that transmits the first ultrasonic wave toward the test region; and 
 a second ultrasonic transducer that transmits the second ultrasonic wave toward the test region from a direction different from a direction of the first ultrasonic wave; and wherein the at least one sensor comprises: 
 at least one optical fiber sensor that detects the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region. 
 
     
     
       3. The ultrasonic test system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer comprises:
 a first ultrasonic transducer that transmits the first ultrasonic wave toward the test region; and 
 a second ultrasonic transducer that transmits the second ultrasonic wave toward the test region from a direction different from a direction of the first ultrasonic wave, and 
 wherein the first ultrasonic transducer is configured to receive the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region. 
 
     
     
       4. The ultrasonic test system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, of which frequency is not less than 75 kHz and not more than 125 kHz, as the first ultrasonic wave. 
 
     
     
       5. The ultrasonic test system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, of which frequency is not less than 300 kHz and not more than 400 kHz, as the second ultrasonic wave. 
 
     
     
       6. The ultrasonic test system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit Lamb waves as the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave respectively. 
 
     
     
       7. The ultrasonic test system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the damage detection circuitry is configured to:
 detect an existence of the damage based on a variation of a waveform of the second ultrasonic wave; and 
 detect a position of the damage based on a period from transmission timing of the first ultrasonic wave to timing when the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave shows a peak. 
 
 
     
     
       8. An ultrasonic test method comprising: operating the ultrasonic test system of  claim 1  by;
 transmitting the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave, from the at least one ultrasonic transducer that transmits the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave, toward a test region, the first ultrasonic wave having a relatively low frequency, the second ultrasonic wave having a frequency higher than the frequency of the first ultrasonic wave; 
 detecting the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, the reflected wave being from the test region; and 
 detecting a damage in the test region, based on the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region. 
 
     
     
       9. A method of manufacturing an aircraft part comprising:
 bonding a patch to a region including a part to be repaired of an aircraft part; 
 transmitting, with the ultrasonic test system of  claim 1 , a first ultrasonic wave and a second ultrasonic wave toward a test region, the first ultrasonic wave having a relatively low frequency, the second ultrasonic wave having a frequency higher than the frequency of the first ultrasonic wave, the test region being a boundary surface between the region including the part to be repaired and the patch; 
 obtaining a reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, the reflected wave being from the test region, the reflected wave and the second ultrasonic wave serving as information for monitoring whether a damage has occurred in the test region; and 
 manufacturing a repaired aircraft part by repairing the part to be repaired of the aircraft part. 
 
     
     
       10. The ultrasonic test system according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, of which frequency is not less than 75 kHz and not more than 125 kHz, as the first ultrasonic wave. 
 
     
     
       11. The ultrasonic test system according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, of which frequency is not less than 75 kHz and not more than 125 kHz, as the first ultrasonic wave. 
 
     
     
       12. The ultrasonic test system according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, of which frequency is not less than 300 kHz and not more than 400 kHz, as the second ultrasonic wave. 
 
     
     
       13. The ultrasonic test system according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, of which frequency is not less than 300 kHz and not more than 400 kHz, as the second ultrasonic wave. 
 
     
     
       14. The ultrasonic test system according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, of which frequency is not less than 300 kHz and not more than 400 kHz, as the second ultrasonic wave. 
 
     
     
       15. The ultrasonic test system according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, of which frequency is not less than 300 kHz and not more than 400 kHz, as the second ultrasonic wave. 
 
     
     
       16. The ultrasonic test system according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit Lamb waves as the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave respectively. 
 
     
     
       17. The ultrasonic test system according to  claim 3 ,
 wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit Lamb waves as the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave respectively. 
 
     
     
       18. An ultrasonic test system comprising:
 an ultrasonic transducer that transmits a first ultrasonic wave and a second ultrasonic wave toward a test region, the first ultrasonic wave having a relatively low frequency, the second ultrasonic wave having a frequency higher than the frequency of the first ultrasonic wave; 
 at least one sensor that detects a reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, the reflected wave being from the test region; and 
 damage detection circuitry configured to detect a damage in the test region, based on the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, and 
 wherein the at least one sensor comprises a first sensor and a second sensor, and wherein the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave sent by the ultrasonic transducer is sensed, respectively, by the first sensor and the second sensor. 
 
     
     
       19. An ultrasonic test system comprising:
 at least one ultrasonic transducer that transmits a first ultrasonic wave and a second ultrasonic wave toward a test region, the first ultrasonic wave having a relatively low frequency, the second ultrasonic wave having a frequency higher than the frequency of the first ultrasonic wave; 
 at least one sensor that detects a reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, the reflected wave being from the test region; and 
 damage detection circuitry configured to detect a damage in the test region, based on the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, and 
 wherein one of the at least one ultrasonic transducer transmits the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave to respective first and second sensors. 
 
     
     
       20. The ultrasonic test system of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer includes a first ultrasonic transducer, and each of the first ultrasonic transducer and to first optical sensor are positioned on a common side of the test region. 
 
     
     
       21. An ultrasonic test method comprising operating the ultrasonic test system of  claim 2  by:
 transmitting the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave, from the at least one ultrasonic transducer that transmits the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave, toward a test region, the first ultrasonic wave having a relatively low frequency, the second ultrasonic wave having a frequency higher than the frequency of the first ultrasonic wave; 
 detecting the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, the reflected wave being from the test region; and 
 detecting a damage in the test region, based on the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region. 
 
     
     
       22. A method of manufacturing an aircraft part comprising:
 bonding a patch to a region including a part to be repaired of an aircraft part; 
 transmitting, with the ultrasonic test system of  claim 2 , a first ultrasonic wave and a second ultrasonic wave toward a test region, the first ultrasonic wave having a relatively low frequency, the second ultrasonic wave having a frequency higher than the frequency of the first ultrasonic wave, the test region being a boundary surface between the region including the part to be repaired and the patch; 
 obtaining a reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, the reflected wave being from the test region, the reflected wave and the second ultrasonic wave serving as information for monitoring whether a damage has occurred in the test region; and 
 manufacturing a repaired aircraft part by repairing the part to be repaired of the aircraft part.